-LRB- CNN -RRB- The Arizona police officer who slammed into an armed suspect with his patrol car told investigators he thought he was too far to take a shot at the man , so he chose the other option , CNN affiliate KVOA reported Wednesday .

Officer Michael Rapiejko ran his car into Mario Valencia in February as the suspect carried a rifle he had just fired in the air . Rapiejko sped around another officer as Valencia walked through a business park , hit the man from behind with the left side of his front bumper .

Valencia , who flew through this air , survived and faces more than a dozen charges for an alleged crime spree that day .

His lawyer has said police used excessive force and could have killed a man who was obviously unstable . The Marana Police Department has defended Rapiejko , saying deadly force was warranted because the suspect had a rifle , ammunition and was walking toward offices where hundreds of people work . Marana is just northwest of Tucson .

Officer who drove into suspect justified , chief says

KVOA obtained police inquiry tapes on which Rapiejko tells investigators why he chose his car as a weapon . The officer , who has been a cop for more than a decade but joined the Marana Police Department in 2014 , said he was 50 yards away from the suspect and worried a missed shot might hit another officer or bystanders .

`` There were occupied businesses , and there were two officers at the other side of the street , '' he says on the recording . `` This is what I deem as a lethal force encounter . I have two thoughts that go in my mind : I need to shoot him to stop the threat , or I need to run him over to stop the threat . ''

Another officer , who was slowing trailing Valencia and ahead of Rapiejko , says on another recording that if a civilian had stumbled upon Valencia , the suspect might have taken a hostage or killed the person .

Video of the car striking Valencia sparking nationwide debate on what type of force police should use to go after armed suspects . Many people commended the officer . Some people said the police should have set up a perimeter around the man and talked him into surrendering .

Valencia faces 15 charges , including three counts of aggravated assault , three counts of armed robbery and possession of a deadly weapon by a prohibited possessor .

Valencia 's attorney , Michelle Cohen-Metzger , told CNN last week that `` it is miraculous that my client is n't dead . ''

Valencia , who is in Pima County Jail , is scheduled to appear in court again on May 18 . Authorities chose not to charge Rapiejko .

Officer who drove into suspect subject of excessive force lawsuit in New York

CNN 's Shane Deitert and Tony Marco contributed to this report .

@highlight

Officer Michael Rapiejko said he needed to use lethal force to stop the suspect

@highlight

Mario Valencia was carrying a rifle and fired one round into the air

@highlight

Rapiejko said two options crossed his mind and it was too far to shoot Valencia